Here are some green products just in time for spring cleaning

In time for spring cleaning, we’re here to suggest environmentally friendly cleaning products that do the job without doing a number on our planet. With these

products, you know the odors and the ingredients are safe and healthy for you, your kids and Mother Earth.

Deborah Elovic

In time for spring cleaning, we’re here to suggest environmentally friendly cleaning products that do the job without doing a number on our planet. With these
products, you know the odors and the ingredients are safe and healthy for you, your kids and Mother Earth.

method, liquid cleaning solution and wipes
Scents: French lavender or cucumber cleaning solution; grapefruit wipes
To learn more: methodhome.com
If you like scents like French lavender and cucumber, Method may be the cleaning brand for you. Check out methodhome.com to learn about a treat that goes beyond getting neat. The slogan “People Against Dirty” runs rampant on this site; at home, a whiff of the French lavender all-purpose spray may make your day while doing its duty as a naturally derived, biodegradable liquid. For quick cleaning, try the pink grapefruit wipes, also made from natural and biodegradable fibers. All the scents are nontoxic.

Products are available at Target and range in price from $2.99 to $14.99.

The languid aura of vanilla hovers in the air after a glass-cleaning session with this glass cleaner. Enviro Products, a subsidiary of Deveco Corp., developed a cleaning technology from corn, soy beans, oranges and vanilla. Deveco features a line of industrial cleaning products, which are essentially more concentrated versions of the Enviro products for the home. Many cleaning products are derived from petroleum, but Enviro Products uses natural solvents, like citrus fruit, to get great results that perfume a home with a warm, healthful fragrance.

The products range in price from $5.99 to $6.99.

Baking soda and vinegar
Scent: Their own
To learn more: treehugger.com or vinegartips.com

For super simple Earth-friendly cleaning, all you really need is white distilled vinegar and baking soda. Web sites like treehugger.com and vinegartips.com provide details on how these products can be used as household cleaners. Instead of using a chemical-laden carpet freshener, for instance, douse your carpet with baking soda before vacuuming to remove odors. Just like the magic it works in the refrigerator, baking soda can remove pesky smells from carpets, too. Use undiluted vinegar to shine countertops and diluted vinegar to clean inside the fridge. There are hundreds of nifty uses for vinegar, which might inspire even the most reluctant homemaker, and your house will not smell like a salad. The odor dissipates, leaving a neutral clean smell. The cost for these products is as much as a box of baking soda or a bottle of vinegar at your local grocery.

Green home cleaning services
Some cleaning services bring their own products and use standard chemical products, but you can always ask your cleaning help to leave their chemicals behind and use the environmentally safe products in your cupboard. Who knows; maybe you’ll start a local cleaning trend!

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